1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to flow-control assemblies comprising rotating fluid expanders and associated systems and methods.
2. Description of Related Art
The throttling of intake air is a known way of controlling the output of internal combustion engines. Specifically, throttling of intake air is used in spark ignition engines, although some diesel engines may also employ throttling of intake air. Known embodiments of internal combustion engines use throttle bodies to throttle the intake air to the desired flow rate. However, the throttling of air may cause a loss in efficiency during partial throttle conditions. Specifically, throttle bodies in some embodiments use butterfly valves to throttle the flow of intake air. While butterfly valves are known for their simplicity and reliability, they provide the throttling function by constricting the air intake path to a smaller area, which creates flow losses.
Thus, prior art solutions have been developed which seek to control the flow of intake air while recovering some of the energy lost in the throttling process. However, the prior art solutions have suffered from issues in packaging the solution in such a way that they conveniently function within existing automotive constraints. Further, the existing solutions tend to add complexity and costs which reduce their commercial viability.
Accordingly, it may be desirable that an improved flow-control assembly be provided which operates without significant additional complexity and which may operate in the confines of automobile engines.